Geography

Head of Department: Mr C Lawrence

The aim of the Geography department is to give learners the required knowledge and understanding of the world around them. Geography has a very important place within the school curriculum enabling learners to discover the latest ideas shaping local areas, investigating issues affecting the United Kingdom and inspiring our learners to become global citizens. Geography provides fundamental knowledge as a basis for understanding the world physically, politically, and contributes immensely in imparting values such as tolerance, custodianship of the environment, and an understanding of diversity and empathy.

The teaching and learning of Geography aims to develop knowledge, skills, concepts, values and attitudes through an approach that sees Geography as an integral part of the whole school curriculum. Geography offers a unique importance in equipping pupils with key attributes needed to meet the statutory requirements for the National Curriculum at Key Stage 3, GCSE Geography at Key Stage 4 and progress towards A level at Key Stage 5.

The Geography department aims to:

• Promote a thirst for knowledge about the world we live in.
• Develop a sense of place and help students to gain a better appreciation and understanding of our world at a local, national and global scale.
• Provide opportunities for our students to engage, develop confidence and enquire about the world around them, including their own community.
• Develop a holistic knowledge of the subject at KS3, underpinned by the development of both subject specific and transferrable skills that can be used at KS4, in other subject areas and in the students own future employment.

Through the development of knowledge, understanding, skills and cultural capital our intent is that students’ progress through an engaging, accessible, yet challenging and enjoyable curriculum.

The Geography curriculum has been carefully planned to enthuse our learners about the world around them, but also to introduce them to a range of skills as well as knowledge of the UK and global issues.

Our curriculum is implemented by ensuring that:

• The expertise of staff within the department provides opportunities for learners to progress to their full potential.
• Learners can identify where they are successful and where they can make a difference. Learners are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning.
• Learners are rewarded for their achievements.
• Homework is set regularly to develop cultural capital, geographical vocabulary and encourage independent thinking and learning. The SIMs Engagement programme is used by the department.
• Geography provides opportunity for field work enquiry.
• Teachers plan learning to meet the needs of individual learners (including high ability, SEND, disadvantaged).
• Teachers plan learning which allows learners to access a broad curriculum of knowledge, understanding and skills.
• Individual lessons build on prior learning enabling learners to progress further by applying their knowledge and skills to new learning opportunities.
• Assessment is completed regularly to augment teacher planning.
• Staff are well supported with a range of resources and subject specific CPD.
• Pupil premium is used support pupil learning.
• The department adheres to school policy.

Cultural Capital

The implementation of the Geography curriculum includes opportunities for learners to explore the world around them, albeit through learning within the classroom, outside the classroom or at home. This begins with the development of specialised geographical knowledge and understanding. We aim to embody the learning by exploring both our own and different cultures. The use of news articles and reports, ICT and factual documentaries heightens geographical experiences. Through the study of topics such as climate change, students are encouraged to become responsible for their own actions in the world they live in and develop an objectified view of the lives of those around them.

In addition, geography lends itself to field work enquiry. Ranging from onsite microclimate studies to GCSE Geography field trips in Liverpool and New Brighton. Relevant cinema experiences are planned, for example the year 12’s recently attended FACT to view ‘The Street’. Fieldwork is a fundamental aspect of the Geography curriculum and fosters a greater sense of the world around us in addition to the taught curriculum.

The Geography curriculum will make a meaningful and positive impact to each child. They will have developed detailed knowledge and skills throughout each key stage, and as a result made expected progress. The inclusion of British Values, careers, literacy, numeracy, enquiry and independent learning and opportunities to develop the cultural capital within the curriculum ensures the students are prepared for their future destinations.

The Geography curriculum has enabled our learners to:

• Achieve qualifications in GCSE Geography and A level Geography
• Enter higher education at local sixth form colleges opting for A level geography, and BTEC Travel and Tourism.
• Enrol at university to complete degree courses. Currently there are two former Geography A level students at The University of York where one is studying a degree in Geography and has founded a Geographical Society, the second a degree in Education. Geography students have also enrolled on and completed degree courses at Liverpool John Moores University studying Psychology and the University of Bath completing a degree in Engineering before joining the RAF at officer level.
• Established careers in accountancy, media, sport and the armed forces.